


A Moment of Rest

by NekoNay



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NekoNay/pseuds/NekoNay
Summary: Sometimes the Warrior of Light is tired. Sometimes they have emotions too. Mostly give them some rest and they be good.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Warrior of Light, G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 24





	A Moment of Rest

The sun began its descent over the mountain peaks, signaling the arrival of evening for the people of the Crystarium. A blessing the First took for granted now, the looming threat of the Lightwardens no longer present. Its denizens began to take to the streets, eager to bask in the gentle glow of torchlight or to take a garner at the long forgotten starlight dancing in the twilight sky.

Either the illumination was a welcome luxury to enjoy in this waking moment of reprieve. 

It was still surreal for the people of the Norvrandt. The Warrior of Darkness bringing up to arms to bring the evening once more. Yet since the final day of the infernal light engulfing the sky, he hadn't been seen. 

For days, the Warrior of Darkness hadn't shown his face to the citizens of the Crystarium. There was a hint of worry that brought edge to the otherwise good spirits.

Was he okay? Was he otherwise unharmed? 

Only those there for the final battle knew the events that had occurred.

How the light nearly erupted through the body of their beloved warrior, nearly falling him to become the next warden.

Siha'li hadn't come out unscathed but he was still whole. And he watched the people from the balcony of his suite with a seldom gaze. 

He still yet fiddled with the bandage round tightly around his throat. The most damaged part of his body when the other parts of his body seemed to have healed. It pained him to stare in the mirror every waking dawn to see the fractures along his skin at the base of his throat. The wound spread like shattered glass until it stopped beneath his chin.

He was grateful to recover some of his voice, compared to only a fraction of it before. Yet too gravely for his taste but functional. 

He desired the solitude, peace from the conflict. The Scions gave what little time still left to him but still he knew his work was a far cry from being done. While one catastrophe was prevented here, there was still another close to erupting.

He raked a hand through his hair, shifting his gaze to the mountain range ascending towards the sky. 

He was still captured by the majestic beauty of the First. There were still regions left untouched. The adventurer in him ached, hungered to explore. 

But he was in no condition to do… much of anything. Even with his body intact, his muscles ached.

The sound of knocking nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. He hastily closed the shutters, shutting away the outside world, clumsily causing the windows to shake.

"Who is it?" A look of distaste. His voice sounded positively like gravel. He cleared his voice, praying it would help as he approached the door.

"It is me." 

A thousand scenes flashed before his eyes at the hushed voice. He had to close them at the sudden rush of them all. 

A soothing voice to his ears. Always calm, a voice of reason. A secretive smile hidden beneath the shroud of a decoded cowl. 

The explosive sound of gunfire followed by the distasteful scent of gunpowder. 

He leaned his head against the door, rubbing against it. The coolness of the wood helped assuage the headache piercing his skull. 

"G'raha…" 

"Hush, friend." He swore he could even picture him placing a finger to his lips. "How are you?"

He was still wrapping his head around it. All this time the Crystal Exarch was G'raha. Still somewhere he knew.

He had watched G'raha seal himself within the Crystal Tower. There was no other person within it.

"As if someone is bashing my skull," came Siha's dry reply. 

"I came to check on you… Is everything alright?" 

Siha paused. Like hell it was. "Just fine." 

A wealth pause followed after. Then the sound of the knob moving. Surprised, Siha let up, allowing it to move just a peek.

The concerned gaze of the Crystal Exarch met his own. There was just so much to process staring at the Miqo'te. Even with cowl shrouding his face, he knew who the Seeker was.

Still alive and well, no longer at death's door when he had finally found him. 

"I know all too well with those words everything is not as fine as you say it is."

Siha's ears flattened against his skull. "Just like you. When you dragged me along with the plan of sacrificing yourself saying you were just fine," he hissed.

He saw him flinch, pulling away. It was then he managed to catch a glimpse of something hanging from his arm. 

"But I see you come bearing gifts." Taking a cautious whiff, he knew it was something savory, his tail wagging despite himself. "Come in." Pulling away, he allowed the Miqo'te entry while sauntered towards the lengthy table. 

When the door quietly shut, Siha'li said bitterly, "Should I call you Exarch from now on?" 

The Exarch paused. He was in the act of pulling down his cowl when Siha caught a glimpse of hurt before he hastily hidden it. 

"Behind closed doors, you may call me either or." Siha'li distinctly heard the unspoken words. He knew which one he desired more. 

"G'raha then." He allowed the name to roll off in his native accent, a heavy accent and purr accompanying it. He earned himself a look of surprise. Seeing the Exarch acting out of his usual calm composure was a delight to see and Siha'li was… eager to see how much he could push the Miqo'te outside his element. 

Coughing into his hand, G'raha placed the basket upon the table. "You seemed to be eating less so I took it upon myself to give you some substance." A curious glance from Siha. Sandwiches. 

"Spying on me?"

"No no. Not at all. But we all have our own way of retrieving information. The people have noticed you less and less… and it has come to my attention you have appeared more than haggard whenever they have seen you.

"Course they whisper in your ear." 

"They have good intentions. In this, they have merit." Pulling out a chair to sit for himself, G'raha gave him a stern look. "You need to recover, friend." 

Siha nearly bristled at the term. "Would a friend use me for their own gains?" He spat. "Just like those damn Scions," he snarled. His anger boiled beyond the seams. "You used me and you thought the only damn way of fixing it was to sacrifice yourself!?" 

G'raha's expression closed off, a bitter smile spreading on his lips. "I put much thought into atoning for my transgression against you. To say using you to justify the means of the end would-"

Siha'li slammed his palms on the table. His tail bristled, the sound of the silverware clattering bought a deafening silence between them. Yet the Exarch maintained his bittersweet expression which only angered Siha even more. "Sacrifice has no meaning. I would have dove into the afterlife itself and brought your damn soul back kicking and screaming just to beat you senseless." 

"A rather crude method." A nervous chuckle escaped from the Seeker.

"I own you." A startled look from G'raha as Siha pointed a claw. "I saved your life and solved your problems for you. In this you have no say. But I grow weary of this topic." It was a difficult one to maintain. It was still too fresh, too raw for the Miqo'te while he still bared physical wear. 

"Ownership…" 

Siha grunted, found himself moving. His legs gave out on him, collapsing face first into sheets and warmth. "I didn't save your life for you to throw it away." He grumbled, words muffled by a pillow. "You have to draw the line somewhere. Your life has value to someone. To your people who you gave shelter to. Don't make the same mistake I did." 

Another length of silence then movement. He felt the bed shift, the weight of G'raha sitting next to him. "The same mistake?" 

"I don't want to talk about it. Maybe some other day." It still stung. He learned a valuable lesson that day and it cost him a long forged friendship through his reckless actions. 

G'raha stared down the Warrior, face burrowed into the pillow. His body remained tense; not once had he relaxed since he had set foot into the suite. Was he still in pain? Did he felt the threat ever looming over his shoulder? He himself was still in disbelief. 

The light was purged and he retained his life. He never thought of an outcome where he would emerge from this ordeal alive, in one piece. Yet Siha'li managed to do it and he was eternally in his debt. 

"Is your vision still enveloped by the light?" 

"No. That stopped a few days ago." 

It was painful to imagine, seeing the world forever kissed by the radiant light. 

"You are recovering. That is an improvement."

"But your chatter isn't helping me." 

G'raha straightened up. "If you wish me to leave-" He felt a weight on his lap, wrap around his waist.

Siha's tail. 

"Stay with me. I would rather not be alone." 

G'raha felt his heart contracted at the raw pain in his voice. He hesitated. Then he placed a hand upon Siha's head, caressing his hair. "I could hardly leave you like this."


End file.
